The War Of 1812

Airs Monday, October 10, 2011 at 10 p.m. on KPBSTV

Above: British in firing formation letting loose the “fog of war,” in a re-enactment from "The War of 1812."

The War of 1812: A Guide to Battlefields and Historic Sites

How better to learn about the war than to see it as ordinary soldiers and citizens did from the woods and meadows of the Chippawa Battlefield, the summit of Queenston Heights, the ramparts of Fort McHenry, or the gun galleries of the USS Constitution? "The War of 1812: A Guide to Battlefields and Historic Sites," written by John Grant and Ray Jones, is meant to encourage travelers to visit these and many other fascinating places closely linked to the War of 1812.

For two and a half years, Americans fought Against the British, Canadian colonists, and native nations. In the years to come, the War of 1812 would be celebrated in some places and essentially forgotten in others.

But it is a war worth remembering—a struggle that threatened the existence of Canada, then divided the United States so deeply that the nation almost broke apart.

Some of its battles and heroes became legendary, yet its blunders and cowards were just as prominent. The film shows how the glories of war became enshrined in history – how failures are quickly forgotten – how inconvenient truths are ignored forever.

With stunning re-enactments, evocative animation and the incisive commentary of key experts, "The War of 1812" presents the conflict that forged the destiny of a continent.

"The War Of 1812" is a production of WNED Buffalo/Toronto and Florentine Films/Hott Productions Inc., in association with WETA Washington, DC